Who or what does your organization center? Who would you want to be if funding & outside expectations weren’t a part of the equation? What strengths do you embody? These are the kinds of questions that help us locate & nurture the heart of our work. In the first part of our discussion on Core Values, we talked about our cultural praxis and the process that brought W.O.M.A.N., Inc. to our most recent Theory of Change. Join us in this deeper discussion on what we’ve learned about ourselves during shelter-in-place and what it looks like to embody our values moving forward.

This is a part of the series, Introducing Navigating with Integrity: Mindmapping Crisis Response in Nonprofit Leadership. We’ll be breaking down what comes up for us when we’re talking about dismantling white supremacy culture in the workplace and navigating all of this with integrity. Read more and locate the mind map here: https://womaninc.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/dismantling-white-supremacy-culture-and-navigating-with-integrity-mind-mapping-crisis-response-in-nonprofit-leadership/.

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Host Bios:

Alicia Campos-Padillapaz (she/herh/ers) started out as a volunteer with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. in early 2012 and has been working with survivors and their families ever since, including working at The Riley Center as Case Manager and Differential Response Liaison. Alicia has a B.S. in Health Education and a Minor in Human Sexuality Studies from San Francisco State University. She is also a second generation W.O.M.A.N., Inc. volunteer as her mother volunteered for the agency in 1992. Alicia oversees the outreach program, volunteer recruitment and the 40 Hour Domestic Violence Hybrid Training. As a San Francisco native, Alicia is a big fan of the Giants and 49ers . On her down time she enjoys baking and cuddling with her dog, Loki.

Shaena Lee S. (she/her/hers) is a mixed-race woman of Japanese, Korean and white descent, and has been with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. since 2014. Starting as a Support Line volunteer, she has since supported in various capacities including peer counseling, support group, education, outreach, and DVIRC coordination. Shaena also has experience as a sexual assault peer counselor and medical advocate with SF Women Against Rape. She currently lives in Washington and has her MSW with a focus on community-centered praxis. Shaena is deeply invested in movements that bring us closer to collective justice, healing & liberation.

Jill Zawisza (pronounced Za-we-za) (she/her/hers) is a white woman of Polish descent and serves as a co-director at W.O.M.A.N., Inc. She has been in the anti-DV movement since 1996, and has been with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. for 13 years. In addition, Jill has served as an anti-Sexual Assault advocate and counselor. She represents W.O.M.A.N., Inc. in the community, aids in program development, provides mentorship to staff, and participates in active community outreach. Her current focus is offering counseling and advocacyto survivors, and delving into how to share power & dismantle white supremacy culture within the leadership structure at W.O.M.A.N., Inc., and beyond.

Today we are launching our first entry in a series of conversations with WOMAN Inc Ambassador, Vanessa. In this minisode, Vanessa shares her story of surviving domestic violence, her experiences at WOMAN Inc, and how she eventually left the abusive relationship that eroded her self-esteem and threatened her life. We hear about her DV work and how she tapped into the expertise of her lived experience to support other survivors.

Host Bio:

Jill Zawisza (pronounced Za-we-za) (she/her/hers) is a white woman of Polish descent and serves as co-director at W.O.M.A.N., Inc. She has been in the anti-DV movement since 1996, and has been with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. for 13 years. In addition, Jill has served as an anti-Sexual Assault advocate and counselor. She represents W.O.M.A.N., Inc. in the community, aids in program development, provides mentorship to staff, and participates in active community outreach. Her current focus is offering counseling and advocacyto survivors, and delving into how to share power & dismantle white supremacy culture within the leadership structure at W.O.M.A.N., Inc., and beyond.

In this episode, Sabrina and Mary break down what it means to be a Helper when working with survivors of domestic violence, rather than a Fixer. Oftentimes our society’s go-to is to want to fix a situation for someone (offering advice, giving ‘cold’ referrals, etc.) and while it might feel easier, we’re curious if it’s out of comfort? Listen along as we go over the principles of working with survivors and how it can be more impactful by building trust, meeting them where they’re at, listening to them, and overall providing emotional support to someone who’s experienced abuse in their relationship(s).

Mary Martinez (she/her) is a queer, Mexican-American who is not fluent in Spanish :), and who comes from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the soon-to-be Co-Director of WOMAN, Inc., who started at the organization as a support line volunteer back in February 2008. For the most part she’s done all things support line-related from covering shifts, to helping recruit and train new volunteers, to managing the program, to providing emotional support to the advocates. She also represents WOMAN, Inc. in the community, works one-on-one with survivors, and continues to do the deep work alongside the WOMAN, Inc. team of upholding their value of centering Black, Indigenous, and other people of color while also holding the organization and one another accountable in abolishing white supremacy and anti-Blackness. During her free time you can find Mary attempting to be best friends with all the feathery, furry, slimy, slithery friends. She also loves a good meme.

Sabrina (she/her) started out as a volunteer with W.O.M.A.N. Inc in Summer 2016. Prior to becoming a part of staff, she worked in the beauty industry, but was feeling unfulfilled and unhappy with where she was at career-wise. When a position opened up at W.O.M.A.N. Inc., she saw this as a sign to make some life changes and do something completely different. Sabrina knew her passion was in helping people and wanted to empower and center survivors. She joined staff as the Support Line Program Assistant and eventually grew into the position of Support Line Manager.

In this special edition Spanish episode, members of Echando Pa’lante talk about what it means to be part of this group as well as their goals for the future. They also share what they want the community to know about domestic violence in hopes of letting survivors know that they are not alone and deserve to feel safe in their bodies, home, and community. 

Hosts bios:
Stephanie Colorado (she, her, hers) & Adilia Preciado (she, her, hers) both started out as a volunteers with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. in the summer of 2012. As volunteers, they helped out with the support line, drop ins, and the Latinx Program. They both now Co-manage the Latinx Program offering in-depth case management to Spanish-speaking survivors.

In this episode, Stephanie Colorado & Adilia Preciado talk about the Echando Pa’lante (Moving Forward) program and their experiences with the group throughout their time at W.O.M.A.N., inc.

Stephanie Colorado (she, her, hers) & Adilia Preciado (she, her, hers) both started out as volunteers with W.O.M.A.N., Inc. in the summer of 2012. As volunteers, they helped out with the support line, drop-ins, and the Latinx Program. They both now Co-manage the Latinx Program offering in-depth case management to Spanish-speaking survivors.

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